Article forming system

ABSTRACT

An article forming system for forming at least one sheet of material into an article, such as a decorative flower pot cover for example, and a novel article formed utilizing such a system. The article forming system includes a male die, a female die and a platform having a support surface and an opening extending through the support surface. The female die is disposed generally within the opening in the platform with the upper end of the female die being disposed near the support surface. The article forming system includes means for slidingly holding portions of the sheet of material generally against portions of the support surface while permitting such held portions to slide on the support surface during the forming of the article for cooperating in forming a decorative border on the decorative flower pot cover type of article which flares generally away from the flower pot object when the decorative flower pot cover article is applied to the flower pot. The article formed in accordance with the present invention includes overlapping folds formed by overlapping portions of the sheet of material to bring portions of the sheet of material into bondable contact, the overlapping folds providing the mechanical strength necessary for the formed sheet of material to hold a predetermined shape thereby permitting the utilization of thinner sheets of material to form articles.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/108,093,filed Aug. 17, 1993, entitled "ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM", now U.S. Pat.No. 5,472,752; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/024,573,filed Mar. 1, 1993, entitled "ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM", now abandoned;which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/464,694, filed Jan. 16,1990, entitled "ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,027,issued May 4, 1993; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/219,083,filed Jul. 13, 1988, entitled "ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM", now U.S. Pat.No. 4,897,031, issued Jan. 30, 1990; which is a continuation of U.S.Ser. No. 07/004,275, filed Jan. 5, 1987, entitled "ARTICLE FORMINGSYSTEM", now U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,182, issued Sep. 27, 1988; which is acontinuation of U.S. Ser. No. 06/613,080, filed May 22, 1984, entitled"ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM", now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an article forming system andan article formed using such article forming system and, moreparticularly, but not by way of limitation, to an article like adecorative flower pot cover and an article forming system for formingsuch a decorative flower pot cover article.

2. Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side elevational, partial sectional, diagrammatic view of anarticle forming system which is constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the platform of the article forming system ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a side elevational view of a flower pot cover article formedusing the article forming system of FIGS. 1 and 2, and also showing aportion of a flower pot object (shown in dashed lines) with the flowerpot cover article being operatively disposed on such flower pot object.

FIG. 3B is a top plan view of the flower pot cover article of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is a sectional view of a portion of the base of the flower potcover article of FIGS. 3A and 3B showing some of the overlapping folds.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational, partial sectional view of a modifiedplatform which may be used in the article forming system shown in FIGS.1 and 2 in lieu of the platform shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an automatic article forming systemutilizing four article forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational, partial sectional view of the articleforming system shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7A is a front elevational, partial sectional view of anothermodified article forming system which is constructed like the articleforming system of FIGS. 1 and 2, except the article forming system shownin FIG. 7A includes a modified support.

FIG. 7B is a top plan view of the article forming system of FIG. 7A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an article forming system 10 which isconstructed in accordance with the present invention. The articleforming system 10 is adapted to form at least one sheet of material intoan article having a predetermined shape, a sheet of material 12 beingshown in FIGS. 3A and 3B formed into a decorative flower pot coverarticle 14 for a flower pot 16, the flower pot 16 being shown in dashedlines in FIG. 3A,

It should be noted that the present invention is described herein asbeing adapted to form the sheet of material 12 into the predeterminedshape of a decorative flower pot cover type of article since oneextremely advantageous use of the system of the present invention is toform such decorative flower pot cover types of articles. However, adecorative flower pot cover represents only one article which can beformed into a predetermined shape in accordance with the presentinvention and the present invention specifically contemplates variousand numerous other types of articles such as vases, hats, saucers,easter baskets, containers for use in microwave ovens, rose stem boxes,egg cartons, potting trays, pans, trays, bowls, basket liners, candytrays, drinking cups, candy cups, flower pots, planter trays for growingplants, disposable bowls and dishes, corsage boxes and containers, foodservice trays (such as those used for bakery goods, french fries, groundbeef, liver and other raw meats in supermarkets, for example), boxes forhamburgers or pies and the like, and various other articles. The term"article" as used herein is intended to encompass all of the specificarticles just mentioned and the term "article" also is intended to bebroad enough to encompass any other article having a predetermined shapewhere the article to function must be capable of substantiallymaintaining such predetermined shape.

The present invention particularly contemplates articles being formedinto a predetermined shape from a sheet of material having a relativelysmall thickness and being of the type commonly referred to in the art asa "film". More particularly, the sheet of material contemplated by thepresent invention is a processed, man-made organic polymer selected fromthe group consisting of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, orcombinations thereof. The sheet of material contemplated by the presentinvention is relatively thin having a thickness less than about 1.5 milsand the sheet of material is very flexible and flimsy so that the sheetof material will not normally maintain or hold a predetermined formedshape under normal, usual conditions (non-shape sustaining). In someinstances and for various reasons, it may be desirable to utilize morethan one sheet of material and, in these instances, the sheets ofmaterial are layered, placed one on the other, when the sheets ofmaterial are formed into the predetermined shape to form the desiredarticle; however, even in these instances, the combined thickness of thesheets of material still is less than about 3.0 mils. The presentinvention provides a means for forming a sheet of material of the typejust described into a predetermined shape so the formed sheet ofmaterial substantially retains or maintains the formed shape therebyproviding a means for making articles from such sheets of material in amore economical manner.

As shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3A, the flower pot object 16 has anupper end 18, a lower end 20 and an outer peripheral surface 22. In theembodiment of the flower pot object 16 shown in FIG. 3A, the diameter ofthe flower pot object 16, generally near the lower end 20, is less thanthe diameter of the flower pot object 16, generally near the upper end18, the flower pot object 16 tapering outwardly generally from the lowerend 20 toward the upper end 18 thereby giving the flower pot object 16 agenerally overall frusto-conically shaped outer peripheral surface 22.In this embodiment, the flower pot object 16 includes a rim 24 formed atthe upper end 18 which extends circumferentially about the flower potobject 16, although it should be noted that some flower pot objects donot include a rim and flower pots also have various shapes as generallywell known, and the present invention is not limited to any particularshape of a flower pot.

The decorative flower pot cover article 14 preferably, although notexclusively, is formed from a generally square-shaped sheet of material12 having four corners. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the decorativeflower pot cover article 14 formed from the generally square-shapedsheet of material 12 utilizing the system 10 of the present inventionincludes a base 26 having an opened upper end 28, a closed lower end 30,an object opening 32 extending through the upper end 28 and a decorativeborder 34 which extends angularly upwardly and outwardly from the upperend 28 of the base 26. The decorative border 34 includes fouraccentuated and sculptured flared petal-like portions 36, each flaredpetal-like portion 36 terminating with a pointed end 38 which is formedby one of the four corners of the square-shaped sheet of material 12.Each flared petal portion 36 extends a distance angularly upwardly andoutwardly from the upper end 28 of the base 26 terminating with thepointed end 38. The flared petal-like portions 36 are spaced apartcircumferentially about the decorative border 34 with the flaredpetal-like portions 36 being spaced at about ninety degree intervals,and a flare connecting portion 40 is disposed between each pair ofadjacent flared portions 36, the flare connecting portions 40 also eachextending a distance angularly upwardly and outwardly from the upper end28 of the base 26 which is less than the distances which the pointedends 38 of the flared portions 36 extend from the upper end 28 of thebase 26.

The object opening 32 in the decorative flower pot cover 14 is shapedand sized to receive the flower pot object 16. When the flower pot 16 isoperatively disposed in the object opening 32 of the decorative flowerpot cover 14, as shown in FIG. 3A, the base 26 substantially encompassesthe outer peripheral surface 22 of the flower pot 16 extending generallybetween the upper and the lower ends 18 and 20 of the flower pot 16,with the upper end 28 of the base 26 being disposed generally near theupper end 18 of the flower pot 16 and the lower end 30 of the decorativeflower pot cover 14 being disposed generally near the lower end 20 ofthe flower pot 16, the closed lower end 30 of the decorative flower potcover 14 extending across and encompassing the lower end 20 of theflower pot 16. In this position with the decorative flower pot cover 14operatively-connected to the flower pot 16, the decorative border 34 ofthe decorative flower pot cover 14 extends a distance angularly upwardlyand outwardly from the upper end 18 of the flower pot 16 and thedecorative flower pot cover 14 extends generally circumferentially aboutthe upper end 18 portion of the flower pot 16.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, the base 26 of the decorative flower potcover 14 formed utilizing the system 10 of the present inventionincludes a plurality of overlapping folds 42 (only some of theoverlapping folds 42 being designated by a reference numeral in thedrawings). A substantial portion of the overlapping folds 42 extend atangles to a vertical direction and at angles to a horizontal direction,the various angles being arbitrary and varying from one overlapping fold42 to another overlapping fold 42. Further, the base 26 includes aplurality of overlapping folds 42 with the various overlapping folds 42being positioned at various positions about the entire outer peripheralsurface of the base 26 and at various positions between the upper andthe lower ends 28 and 30 of the base 26. The overlapping folds 42provide an overall decorative appearance to the base 26; however, moresignificantly, the overlapping folds 42 provide a mechanical strength tothe base 26 for enabling the base 26 to stand upright (substantiallyretain the shape formed by the system 10 of the present invention) onthe closed lower end 30 of the base 26. In this manner, the base 26 ofthe decorative flower pot cover 14 has sufficient mechanical strength tostand upright about the flower pot 16 without the necessity ofmechanically connecting the base 26 to the flower pot 16, other than theconnection normally provided when the lower end 20 of the flower pot 16engages the lower end 30 of the decorative flower pot cover 14 when thedecorative flower pot cover 14 is operatively connected to the flowerpot 16. Each overlapping fold 42 extends an arbitrary distance and mostof the overlapping folds 42 extend at arbitrary angles over the base 26which enhances the mechanical strength of the base 26 as compared to themechanical strength which might be imparted to the base 26 byoverlapping folds extending only in vertical or horizontal directions.Significantly, the overlapping folds 42 permit thin sheets (films) ofmaterial to be utilized to form the decorative flower pot cover 14, in amanner and for reasons to be discussed further below.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the sheet of material 12 has an upper surface 41and a lower surface 43 and, in accordance with the present invention,either the upper surface 41 or the lower surface 43 or both of the sheetof material 12 is adapted to be bondable so that, when portions of thebondable surface are brought into bondable contact, such portions arebondably connected. The overlapping folds 42 are formed by overlappingportions of the bondable surface and bringing such overlapping portionsinto bondable engagement or contact. In this manner, the overlappingfolds 42 are permanently fixed in the article.

When an overlapping fold 42 is formed with a portion of the sheet ofmaterial 12 during the forming of the decorative flower pot cover 14,portions of the upper surface 41 are overlapped and brought intobondable contact or engagement and, with respect to the same overlappingfold 42, portions of the lower surface 43 also are overlapped andbrought into bondable contact or engagement. As mentioned before, atleast one of the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 is prepared tobe bondable to form a bondable surface which is adapted to be bonded toportions of a similar bondable surface when bondably contacted with asimilar bondable surface portion. Thus, in those instances where onlythe lower surface 43 is prepared to form a bondable lower surface 43,the overlapping portions of the bondable lower surface 43 are broughtinto bondable contact during the forming of the decorative flower potcover 14 and such overlapping portions are bonded to form theoverlapping folds 42, and, in this instance, the correspondingoverlapping portions of the upper surface 41 are not bonded. In thoseinstances where only the upper surface 41 is prepared to form a bondableupper surface 41, the overlapping portions of the bondable upper surface41 are brought into bondable contact during the forming of thedecorative flower pot cover 14 and such overlapping portions are bondedto form the overlapping folds 42 and, in this instance, thecorresponding overlapping portions of the lower surface 42 are notbonded. In those instances where both the upper and the lower surfaces41 and 43 are prepared to form bondable upper and lower surfaces 41 and43, the overlapping portions of the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and43 forming each overlapping fold 42 are brought into bondable contactduring the forming of the decorative flower pot cover 14 and suchoverlapping portions of the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 arebonded to form the overlapping folds 42.

It has been found to be necessary only to prepare one of the upper andthe lower surfaces 41 or 43 to form a bondable surface so the decorativeflower pot 14 is formable from the film sheet of material 12 havingsufficient mechanical strength to retain its formed shape in accordancewith the present invention. However, it should be noted that preparingboth the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 to form bondablesurfaces provides additional mechanical strength which may be desired insome applications and particularly in those applications where theadditional mechanical strength is needed to enable the formed article tomaintain or retain its formed shape, such additional strength beingneeded either because of the particular shape of the article or theparticular thickness or characteristics of the particular film formingthe sheet of material 12.

Various techniques are utilized to prepare the sheet of material 12 withat least one bondable surface in accordance with the present invention.

One technique for preparing the bondable surfaces is to utilizepolyvinyl chloride film to form the sheet of material 12 which is heatsealable. When utilizing a processed organic polymer heat sealable film,the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 of the sheet of material 12are bondable surfaces and the sheet of material 12 must be heated duringthe forming of the article or, more particularly, the forming ofoverlapping folds 42. Thus, in this instance, the term "bondablecontact" or "bondable engagement" means contacting engagement and theapplication of the required amount of heat to effect heat sealablebonding of the contacting surfaces.

It should be noted that a light activated adhesive also is suitable foruse in preparing the bondable surface in accordance with the presentinvention. In this instance, heating elements would not be necessary:however, means for lighting the areas to be bonded would be necessarywhich might be effected by substituting light sources for the heatingelements described herein and constructing the male and female dies of alight transparent material. In this instance, the term "bondablecontact" or "bondable engagement" means contacting engagement and theapplications of sufficient light to effect the bond.

One other technique for preparing the bondable surfaces is to utilize anon-heat sealable film to form the sheet of material 12 and to apply aheat sealable coating to either the upper surface 41 or the lowersurface 43 or both. Heat sealable adhesives are commercially available.The term "bondable contact" or "bondable engagement" as used in thisinstance means contacting engagement and the application of the requiredamount of heat to effect heat sealable bonding of the contactingsurfaces. The heat sealable coating also can be a heat sealable lacquer,a pressure sensitive adhesive which also requires heat to effect thebond, or a hot melt adhesive.

One other technique for preparing the bondable surfaces is to utilize anon-heat sealable film to form the sheet of material 12 and to apply acontact adhesive coating either the upper surface 41 or the lowersurface 43 or both. Contact adhesives are commercially available. Theterm "bondable contact" or "bondable engagement" in this instance meanscontacting engagement sufficient to effect the adhesive bond between thecontacted surfaces.

For esthetic purposes, it is preferable that the decorative border 34and particularly the flared petal-like portions 36 remain substantiallysmooth, substantially free of the overlapping folds. Also, it isdesirable that the flare connecting portions 40 also remainsubstantially smooth, substantially free of the overlapping folds. Thecover forming system 10 is constructed and adapted substantially toaccomplish these desired characteristics of the decorative flower potcover 14 in a manner which will be described in greater detail below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 includes a male die 44 having an upperend 46 and a lower end 48. A male die surface 50 is formed on a portionof the outer peripheral surface of the male die 44 and the male diesurface 50 extends a distance generally from the lower end 48 toward theupper end 46 of the male die 44. A portion of the male die surface 50extending from the lower end 48 a distance toward the upper end 46 ofthe male die 44 forms a base portion 52 of the male die surface 50, andthe base portion 52 of the male die surface 50 has an outer peripheralsurface which is shaped about the same as the outer peripheral surface22 of the flower pot object 16, the dimensions of the base portion 52being slightly larger than the comparable dimensions of the outerperipheral surface 22 of the flower pot 16, so the decorative flower potcover 16 will fit generally about the outer peripheral surface 22 of theflower pot 16 when the decorative flower pot cover 14 is operativelyconnected to the flower pot 16. The base portion 52 has an upper end 54and a lower end 56, the lower end 56 of the base portion 52 coincidingwith and forming the lower end 48 of the male die 44. Thus, the baseportion 52 of the male die surface 50 generally is frusto-conicallyshaped with the diameter of the base portion 52 generally at the lowerend 56 being smaller than the diameter of the base portion 52 generallyat the upper end 54 of the base portion 52. A portion of the male diesurface 50 flares a distance angularly outwardly and upwardly from theupper end 54 of the base portion 52, the flared portion 58 of the maledie surface 50 having an upper end 60 and a lower end 62 with the lowerend 62 being connected to the upper end 54 of the base portion 52. Asshown in FIG. 1, the flared portion 58 extends at an angle 64 outwardlyand upwardly from the upper end 54 of the base portion 52.

A rod is reciprocatingly disposed in a hydraulic cylinder 66 and the rodof the hydraulic cylinder 66 is connected to the upper end 46 of themale die 44. The hydraulic cylinder 66 is adapted and positioned to movethe male die 44 in a downward direction 68 to a forming position and tomove the male die 44 in an upward direction 70 to a storage position(shown in FIG. 1). The hydraulic cylinder 66 is connected to a supportassembly 72, and the hydraulic cylinder 66 and the support assembly 72cooperate to support the male die 44 a distance above a support surface74.

At least one and preferably a plurality of openings 76 (only one opening76 being designated by a reference numeral in FIG. 1) extend through themale die 44, each opening 76 extending through the lower end 48 of themale die 44. One end of a conduit 78 is connected to the male die 44 andis positioned in communication with the openings 76. A vacuum source 80is connected to the conduit 78 and a blower 82 also is connected to theconduit 78. A control valve 84 is interposed between the vacuum source80 and conduit 78 and the control valve 84 also is interposed betweenthe blower 82 and conduit 78. In one position of the control valve 84,communication is established between the vacuum source 80 and theopenings 76 in the male die 44 and, in one other position of the controlvalve 84, communication is established between the blower 82 and theopenings 76 in the male die 44.

An air supply 86 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder 66 and a controlvalve 88 is interposed between the air supply 86 and the hydrauliccylinder 66. In one position of the control valve 88, the air supply 86is connected to the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 66 for movingthe male die 44 in the downward direction 68 and, in one other positionof the control valve 88, the air supply 86 is connected to the lower endof the hydraulic cylinder 66 for moving the male die 44 in the upwarddirection 70.

The control valve 88 has a third position wherein communication isinterrupted between the hydraulic cylinder 66 and the air supply 86 anda switch 89 is positioned on the support assembly 72 and connected tothe control valve 88 for positioning the control valve 88 in this thirdposition. More particularly, when the control valve 88 is positioned tomove the male die 44 in the upward direction 70, the male die 44 ismoved in the upward direction 68 and, when the male die 44 reaches thestorage position, the male die 44 engages the switch 89 to position thecontrol valve 88 in the just described third position.

A plurality of cartridge type heating elements 90 (only two elements 90being shown in FIG. 1) are connected to the male die 44. Each of theheating elements 90 is disposed in a cylinder in an inner portion of themale die 44 and the heating elements 90 are positioned about the maledie 44 to heat the male die surface 50 to a predetermined temperaturelevel during the operation of the system 10. Each of the heatingelements 90 is connected to an electrical power supply. In one form, theelectrical power supply 92 also includes a switch (not shown) forconditioning the heating elements 90 in the heating mode or, in otherwords, for applying electrical power to the heating elements 92 in theclosed position of such switch and the electrical power supply 92 alsomay be connected to a temperature sensing device (not shown) located ohthe male die 44 and positioned to sense the temperature level of themale die surface 50, the sensing device controlling the connection ofthe electrical power supply 92 to the heating elements 90 to maintainthe temperature level of the male die surface 50 at a desiredpredetermined temperature level.

The system 10 also includes a female die 94 having an upper end 96 and alower end 98. An opening is formed through the upper end 96 of thefemale die 94 extending a distance generally toward the lower end 98 ofthe female die 94, the opening forming a female die surface 100 havingan upper end 102 and a lower end 104. The support assembly 72 supportsthe male die 44 a distance generally above the generally aligned withthe female die 94. The opening forming the female die surface 100 isshaped and sized to receive and formingly mate with the male die surface50 with a sufficient clearance therebetween to accommodate portions ofthe sheet of material 12 during the forming of the decorative flower potcover 14.

The female die surface 100 includes a base portion 106 having an upperend 108 and a lower end 110. The base portion 106 generally isfrusto-conically shaped and, thus, the diameter of the base portion 106generally near the lower end 110 is smaller than the diameter of thebase portion 106 generally near the upper end 108 of the base portion106. The base portion 106 of the female die 100 is shaped to mate withthe base portion 52 of the male die 44 with sufficient clearancetherebetween to accommodate portions of the sheet of material 12 duringthe forming of the decorative cover 14.

The female die surface 100 also includes a flared portion 112 having anupper end 114 and a lower end 116, the lower end 116 of the flaredportion 112 being connected to the upper end 108 of the base portion106. The flared portion 112 extends angularly outwardly and upwardlyfrom the upper end 108 of the base portion 106. The flared portion ofthe female die surface 100 is shaped to mate with the flared portion 58of the male die 44 with sufficient clearance therebetween to accommodateportions of the sheet of material 12 during the forming of thedecorative cover 14. The flared portion 112 extends at an angle 117which is about the same as the angle 64.

A plurality of cartridge-type heating elements 118 (only two elements118 being shown in FIG. 1) are connected to the female die 94. Theheating elements 118 are positioned about the female die surface 100 andconnected to the electrical power supply 92 for heating the female diesurface 100 to a predetermined temperature level during the forming ofthe decorative cover 14 and a temperature sensing device (not shown) maybe connected to the female die 94 in a manner and for reasons like thatdescribed before with respect to the heating elements 90 in the male die44.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the system 10 includes a platform 120 havingan upper support surface 122 and an opening 124 (shown in FIG. 2) formedthrough a control portion thereof. The female die 94 is disposed throughthe opening 124 to a position wherein the upper end 96 of the female die94 is disposed generally adjacent the support surface 122. The platform120 is connected to the support assembly 72 and the support assembly 72is adapted to support the platform 120 so the support surface 122 isdisposed in a substantially horizontal plane.

Four circumferentially spaced inclined support surfaces 126 are formedin the upper support surface 122 with each inclined support surface 126extending a distance angularly upwardly and outwardly from the upper end96 of the female die 94 at an angle 127 (shown in FIG. 1 with respect toone of the inclined support surfaces 126) and with the remainingportions of the support surface 122 being disposed in a generallyhorizontal plane. The angle 127 is about the same as the angle 64 of theflared portion 58 of the male die 44 and thus about the same as theangle 117 of the flared portion 112 of the female die 94.

Each inclined support surface 126 is generally triangularly shaped withthe base of each triangularly shaped inclined support surface 126 beingdisposed near the opening in the female die 94 and with eachtriangularly shaped inclined support surface 126 extending upwardly andterminating with the triangle apex outermost end. The inclined supportsurfaces 126 are spaced apart at about ninety degree intervalscircumferentially about the opening in the female die 94, and theinclined support surfaces 126 are arranged about the female die 94 sothe edges, of such support surfaces 126 cooperate to form asubstantially square shape in a plan view as shown in FIG. 2 with theoutermost ends of the inclined support surfaces 126 forming the cornersof this square shape.

Each inclined support surface 126 is connected to the platform 120 by apair of sides 128 and 130, as shown in FIG. 2 with respect to one of theinclined support surfaces 126. Each inclined support surface 126cooperates with the sides 128 and 130 connected thereto to encompass anenclosed space. A plurality of hold openings 134 are formed through eachinclined support surface 126 (only two of the hold openings 134 beingdesignated by reference numerals in FIGS. 1 and 2) and the hold openings134 in each inclined support surface 126 are in communication with thespace enclosed by that inclined support surface 126 cooperating with thesides 128 and 130.

A vacuum source 136 is connected to each of the spaces enclosed by theinclined support surfaces 126 and cooperating sides 128 and 130 and acontrol valve 138 is interposed between the enclosed spaces and thevacuum source 136, the vacuum source 136 being in communication with thehold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 126 in the openedposition of the control valve 138. In one (opened) position of thecontrol valve 138, communication is established between the holdopenings 134 and the vacuum source 136 and, in one other (closed)position of the control valve 138, communication is interrupted betweenthe hold openings 134 and the vacuum source 136.

Adjacent pairs of inclined support surfaces 126 are spaced a distanceapart thereby forming a substantially flat, horizontally disposed flatportion 140 of the support surface 122 which is disposed generallybetween each pair of adjacent inclined support surfaces 126. Each flatportion 140 extends a distance radially outwardly from the opening inthe female die 94. The flat portions 140 cooperate with the inclinedsupport surfaces 126 to form the support surface 122.

A plurality of spaced apart ribs 142 are connected to the supportsurface 122 with some of the ribs 142 being disposed in each flatportion 140. Each rib 142 has an arc-shaped cross section with a roundeduppermost end portion and each rib 142 extending a distance radiallyoutwardly from the opening in the female die 94, the ribs 142 in eachflat portion 140 being spaced distances apart.

In operation, the sheet of material 12 is placed on the support surface122 of the platform 120 with a central portion of the sheet of material12 being disposed generally over the opening in the female die 94. Asmentioned before, the sheet of material 12 preferably is square-shapedand, in this instance, each corner of the square-shaped sheet ofmaterial 12 is placed near the apex of one of the inclined supportsurfaces 126, each portion of the sheet of material 12 disposed adjacentthe corner being disposed generally over the inclined support surface126. In this position, the sheet of material 12 is disposed on thesupport surface 122 generally between the male die 44 and the female die94.

Initially, the hydraulic cylinder 66 supports the male die 44 in thestorage position disposed a distance above and generally over the femaledie 94. The control valve 84 is positioned to connect the openings 76 inthe male die 44 to the vacuum source 80 and the control valve 138 ispositioned to connect the hold openings 134 in the inclined supportsurfaces 126 to the vacuum source 136. The heating elements 90 in themale die 44 and the heating elements 118 in the female die 94 each areconnected to the electrical power supply 92 so the heating elements 90cooperate to heat the male die surface 50 to the predeterminedtemperature level and the heating elements 118 in the female die 94cooperate to heat the female die surface 100 to the predeterminedtemperature level.

Since the hold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 126 are incommunication with the vacuum source 136, the portions of the sheet ofmaterial 12 generally near each of the corners of the object of material12 are biased or pulled generally toward the respective inclined supportsurfaces 126 when the sheet of material 12 initially is placed orpositioned on the upper support surface 122. The amount of vacuumapplied through the hold openings 134 is relatively slight so the vacuumtends to bias or pull the portions of the sheet of material 12 generallynear the corners toward the respective inclined support surfaces 126,yet the vacuum is small enough to permit the corner portions of thesheet of material 12 to be pulled across the respective inclined supportsurfaces 126 toward the opening in the female die 94 during the formingof the decorative flower pot cover 14.

After the sheet of material has been positioned on the support surface122 in the manner described before, the control valve 88 is positionedto connect the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 66 to the air supply86 for moving the male die 44 in the downward direction 68 toward thefemale die 94. As the male die moves in the downward direction 68, themale die 44 moves to a position wherein the lower end 48 of the male die44 (the lower end 56 of the base portion 52) initially engages theportion of the sheet of material 12 disposed over the opening in thefemale die 94. Since the openings 76 in the male die 44 are connected tothe vacuum source 80, the vacuum applied through the openings 76 in themale die 44 biases the engaged portion of the sheet of material 12contacted by the lower end 48 of the male die 44 into engagement withthe lower end 48 of the male die 44, such vacuum holding the engagedportion of the sheet of material 12 generally against the lower end 48of the male die 44 during the forming of the decorative flower pot cover14.

The hydraulic cylinder 66 continues to move the male die in the downwarddirection 68 pushing portions of the sheet of material 12 generally intothe opening in the female die 94 forming the female die surface 100, theholding of the engaged portion of the sheet of material 12 against thelower end 48 of the male die 44 substantially preventing the slipping ofthe sheet of material 12 as the sheet of material 12 is moved by themale die 44 into the opening forming the female die surface 100. Themale die 44 continues to be moved in the downward direction into theopening forming the female die surface 100 to a position wherein themale die surface 50 is matingly disposed within the female die surface100 with the lower end 48 of the male die 44 being disposed generallynear the lower end 104 of the female die surface 100, portions of thesheet of material 12 being disposed generally about the male die surface50 and generally between the male die surface 50 and the female diesurface 100 in the forming position of the male die 44 within the femaledie surface 100.

The vacuum applied through the hold openings 134 in the inclined supportsurfaces 126, permits the portions of the sheet of material 12 disposedgenerally over the inclined support surfaces 126 to be biased towardsuch inclined support surfaces 126 and yet to be slidingly moved in thedirection generally toward the opening in the female die 94 forming thefemale die surface 100 as the male die 44 engages the sheet of material12 and pushes the sheet of material 12 into the opening forming thefemale die surface 100 as the male die 44 is moved to the formingposition. In the forming position of the male die 44, the vacuum appliedthrough the hold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 126cooperate to hold the four corner portions of the sheet of material 12generally against the respective inclined support surfaces 126 duringthe forming of the decorative cover 14 with portions of the sheet ofmaterial 12 being disposed generally over the ribs 142 on each of theflat portions 140 of the support surface 122.

In the forming position of the male die 44 within the opening formingthe female die surface 100, the base portion 106 of the female die 94cooperates with the base portion 52 of the male die 44 to form theportion of the sheet of material disposed therebetween into the base 26of the decorative flower pot cover 14. The flared portion 112 of thefemale die 94 cooperates with the flared portion 58 of the male die 44to form the portion of the sheet of material 12 disposed therebetweeninto the lower portion of the decorative border 34 generally adjacentthe upper end 28 of the base 26, thereby establishing or forming theangle at which the decorative border 34 extends upwardly and outwardlyfrom the opened upper end 28 of the base 26. The four flared petal-likeportions 36 of the decorative border 34 are disposed on the respectiveinclined support surfaces 126 during the forming of the decorative cover14. The vacuum applied at the hold openings 134 biases the four cornerportions of the sheet of material 12 against the respective inclinedsupport surfaces 126 which tends to pull or hold the four cornerportions from being pushed into the opening in the female die 94,although the vacuum is slight which permits the four corner portions ofthe sheet of material 12 to slide over the inclined support surfaces 126toward the opening in the female die 94 during the forming process. Thisaction on the four corner portions of the sheet of material 12 tends tokeep overlapping portions or overlapping folds from forming in thepetal-like portions 36 of the formed decorative flower pot cover 14. Theribs 142 in the flat portions 140 of the support surface 122 tend toform elongated outwardly extending waves or non-bonding loose overlapsor folds in the flare connecting portions 40 of the formed decorativeflower pot cover 14. The waves or loose non-bonding overlaps or foldstend to pull portions of the material toward the flat portions 140 andgenerally away from the inclined support surfaces 126 which contributesto maintaining the four corner portions of the sheet of material 12forming the petal-like portions 36 substantially flat and free of folds.

In a preferred form, the control valve 88 includes a timer which isconstructed and adapted to keep the air supply 86 connected to thehydraulic cylinder 66 for holding the male die 44 in the formingposition with respect to the female die 94 for a predetermined period oftime which, in one embodiment, is about three seconds, for example, theparticular time being sufficient to form the decorative flower pot cover14 and to permit the bonding of the overlapping folds 42. At the end ofthis predetermined period of time, the control valve 88 is moved toconnect the air supply 86 to the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder 66,thereby causing the male die 44 to be moved in the upward direction 70to the storage position. As the male die 44 is moved in the upwarddirection 70 to the storage position, the vacuum applied through theopenings 76 in the male die 44 holds the formed cover against the maledie surface 50 or, more particularly, holds the closed lower end 30 ofthe formed decorative cover 14 against the lower end 48 of the male die44. When the male die 44 has been moved to the storage position, thecontrol valve 84 is positioned to connect the blower 82 to the openings76 in the male die 44 thereby releasing the formed cover from the maledie surface 50 so the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 easily canbe removed or released from the male die 44 for conditioning the coverforming system 10 to form another decorative flower pot cover 14.

The surface area of the portions of the sheet of material 12 which ispushed into the base portion 106 of the female die 94 and which isutilized to form the base 26 of the decorative flower pot cover 14exceeds the surface area of either the base portion 52 of the male diesurface 50 or the base portion 106 of the female die surface 100 or theouter peripheral surface including the bottom of the flower pot object16. This excess material utilized to form the base 26 during the formingprocess is utilized to form the overlapping folds 42.

It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the vacuum source 136actually is a blower which is connected to the conduit in such a manneras to impose a slight vacuum through the hold openings 134. Also, itshould be noted that, in one embodiment, the system 10 does not includethe blower 82 and, in this embodiment, the valve 84 is positioned todisconnect the vacuum source 80 from the openings 76 in the male die 44when the male die 44 is moved to the storage position. In thisembodiment, the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 is released fromthe male die 44 by the weight of the formed decorative flower pot cover14, the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 simply falling off themale die 44. Further, the vacuum source 80 also may be a blower which isconnected to the conduit 78 in such a manner as to impress a vacuum atthe openings 76.

It should be noted that, in some applications, the flower pot cover 14may be formed without using the vacuum source 80 applied at the openings76 in the male die 44. However, it has been found that the frictionbetween the male die surface 50 and the engaged portions of the sheet ofmaterial 12 varies thereby causing the male die 44 to push the sheet ofmaterial 12 into the female die surface 100 in an uneven manner. Thisdifference in friction also may result from using different materials toform the sheet of material 12. In any event, the vacuum applied throughthe openings 76 holds the engaged portion of the sheet of material 12against the bottom or lower end 48 of the male die 44 so the male die 44pushes the engaged sheet of material 12 evenly into the female diesurface 100 which contributes to the forming of the decorative border 34having a substantially square appearance in a plan view as shown in FIG.3B.

In some applications, it has been found to be desirable to form anopening in the lower end 104 of the female die 94. A pad (not shown) isdisposed in such opening and the pad is connected to a hydrauliccylinder (not shown) which is disposed generally below the female die94. During the operation, the hydraulic cylinder moves the pad up to aposition wherein the pad is generally coplanar with the upper end 96 ofthe female die 94 and the male die 44 then is lowered toward theengaging position after the sheet of material has been positioned on thesupport surface 122 with a central portion of the sheet of materialbeing disposed generally over the pad. The lower end 48 of the male die44 initially engages the sheet of material and a portion of the sheet ofmaterial is compressed generally between the lower end 48 of the maledie 44 and the pad. The male die 44 then further is moved toward theforming position pushing the pad back into the opening in the lower end104 of the female die 44. Thus, the pad and the lower end 48 of the maledie 44 cooperate to hold the sheet of material as the male die 44 andthe female die 94 are moved into the forming position.

Embodiment of FIG. 4

Shown in FIG. 4 is a modified platform 120a which is constructed exactlylike the platform 120 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described in detailbefore, except the modified platform 120a includes modified inclinedsupport surfaces 126a. The base of each inclined support surface 126a ispivotally connected to the platform 120a and each inclined supportsurface 126a is pivotally moveable from the operating position (shown insolid lines in FIG. 4) wherein each inclined support surface 126aextends angularly upwardly at the angle 127 from the platform 120a to astorage position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4) wherein each inclinedsupport surface 126a is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane.The inclined support surfaces 126a each are movable through respectiveopenings in the platform 120a to the storage position and the inclinedsurfaces 126a are supported generally within one of the openings formedin the platform 120a in the storage position.

The platform 120a includes four hydraulic cylinders 146 and a rod ofeach of the hydraulic cylinders 146 is connected to one of the inclinedsupport surfaces 126a. The hydraulic cylinders 146 are connected to theair supply 86 (shown in FIG. 1) and a control valve (not shown) isinterposed between the air supply 86 and the hydraulic cylinders 146.

In one position, the air supply 86 is connected to the hydrauliccylinders 146 for moving the inclined support surfaces 126a connectedthereto in an upward direction to move the inclined support surfaces126a from a horizontally disposed position to an operating position and,in one other position, the air supply 86 is connected to the hydrauliccylinder 146 for moving the inclined support surfaces 126a connectedthereto in the downward direction to move the inclined support surfaces126a from the operating position to the storage position wherein theinclined support surfaces 126a each are disposed in a substantiallyhorizontal plane.

The modified platform 120a will operate with the remaining portion ofthe cover forming system 10 to form the decorative flower pot cover 14in a manner exactly like that described before with respect to theplatform 120 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), except initially the air supply86 is connected to the hydraulic cylinders 146 for moving the inclinedsupport surfaces 126a to the storage position wherein each inclinedsupport surface 126a is disposed in a horizontal plane substantiallycoplanar with the remaining portion of the support surface 122a. In thisstorage position of the inclined support surfaces 126a, the sheet ofmaterial 12 is positioned on the support surface 122a. After the sheetof material 12 has been positioned on the support surface 122a, then theair supply 86 is connected to the hydraulic cylinders 146 for moving theinclined support surfaces 126a connected thereto to the forming positionwherein each inclined support surface 126a is angularly disposed withrespect to the remaining portions of the support surface 122a. When theinclined support surfaces 126a each have been moved to the formingposition, the sheet of material 12a partially supported on the inclinedsupport surfaces 126a then can be formed into the decorative flower potcover 14 in a manner exactly like that described before with respect tothe platform 120 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. After the decorative flower potcover 14 has been formed, then the hydraulic cylinders 146 are connectedto the air supply 86 for moving the inclined support surfaces 126aconnected thereto in the downward direction until each of the inclinedsupport surfaces 126a is disposed in the storage position extending in asubstantially horizontal plane coplanar with the horizontal planardisposition of the remaining portion of the support surface 122a.

The movement of the inclined support surfaces 126a to the storageposition wherein each of the inclined support surfaces 126a is disposedin a horizontal plane substantially coplanar with the horizontal planardisposition of the remaining portions of the upper surface 122a providesa substantially flat support surface 122a which may be more convenientfor loading the sheet of material 12 onto the support surface 122a andwhich particularly may be more convenient to accomodate an automatic orsemiautomatic loading of the sheet of material 12 onto the supportsurface 122a during the forming operations.

Embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6

Shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is another modified system 10c which includes agenerally circularly-shaped lower table 200 having an upper surface 202and a lower surface 204. A shaft 206 is connected to a central portionof the lower surface 204 and the opposite end of the shaft 206 issupported on the floor 74.

Four female dies 94 are disposed in openings (not shown) in the table200. The female dies 94 are circumferentially spaced at ninety degreeintervals about the table 200. The female dies 94 each are constructedexactly like the female dies 94 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described indetail before,

As shown in FIG. 6, the modified system 10c also includes an upper table212 having an upper surface 214 and a lower surface 216. The shaft 206extends from the lower table 200 through the upper table 212 and theshaft 206 is connected to a central portion of the upper table 212, thehaft 206 extending a distance above the upper surface 214 of the uppertable 212.

A table drive assembly 217 is connected to the shaft 206 and the tabledrive assembly 217 also is connected to an AC source 218. The tabledrive assembly 217 is adapted to drivingly rotate the shaft 206 and theupper and the lower tables 212 and 200 in a direction 220 during aspectsof the operation of the system 10c. In one form, the table driveassembly 217 includes a motor and means (such as gears or pulley belts,for example) for connecting the output shaft of the motor to the shaft206 for drivingly rotating the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 in thedirection 220. The table drive assembly 217 also includes controls fordrivingly rotating the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 and forstopping the rotation of the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 in amanner to be described in greater detail below with respect to theoperation of the system 10c. It should be noted that various forms oftable drive assemblies which are constructed and adapted to drivinglyrotate assemblies like the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 in aparticular controlled manner are well known in the art and the system10c does not contemplate nor is the system 10c limited to any particulartype of table drive assembly.

Four support surfaces 122a are formed on the upper surface 202 of thelower table 200 with each of the support surfaces 122a being disposedabout one of the female dies 94 in a manner exactly like that describedbefore with respect to the support surfaces 122 and 122a and the femaledie 94 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. In the system 10c, the inclinedsupport surfaces 126a formed on each of the support surfaces 122a areconstructed exactly like those shown in FIG. 4 and described in detailbefore; however, the means (hydraulic cylinders 146 and the associatedair supply) for moving the inclined support surfaces 126a to the storageand the forming positions is not shown in FIG. 6.

Four male dies 44 are connected to the upper table 212 with the maledies 44 each extending from the lower surface 216 of the upper table212. The male dies 44 are circumferentially spaced at ninety degreeintervals about the lower surface 216 of the upper table 212. The uppertable 212 is disposed generally above the upper surface 202 of the lowertable 200 with the upper surface 202 of the lower table 200 being spaceda predetermined distance from the lower surface 216 of the upper table212. Further, the upper table 212 is disposed and positioned and themale dies 44 are disposed and positioned on the upper table 212 so thateach of the male dies 44 is operatively aligned with the opening formingthe female die surface in one of the female dies 94 supported in thelower table 200.

A vacuum source 221 is connected to the openings 76 (not shown in FIG.6) in each of the male dies 44 by way of a coupling 222, in the mannerand for the reasons described before with respect to the system 10 shownin FIG. 1. The coupling 222 is adapted to provide a means for connectingthe vacuum source 221 to the male dies 44 by way of conduits whilepermitting the rotation of the upper and the lower tables 212 and 200with tangling or wrapping of conduits about the shaft 206 which wouldoccur if such connections were made with single continuous conduitswithout the coupling 222. The coupling 222 has one portion which issecured to the shaft 206 for rotation with the shaft 206, this being theportion which is connected to the male dies 44, and the coupling has oneportion which is not connected to the shaft 206 and does not rotate withthe shaft 206, this being the portion which is connected to the vacuumsource 221.

An air supply 224 is connected to each of the hydraulic cylinders 66 byway of a coupling 226, a coupling 228 and a control valve 230. Thecouplings 226 and 228, like the coupling 222, provide a means forconnecting the air supply 224 to the hydraulic cylinders 66 whilepermitting rotation of the upper and the lower tables 212 and 200without tangling or wrapping of conduits about the shaft 206 which wouldoccur if such connections were made with single continuous conduitswithout the couplings 226 and 228. The couplings 226 and 228 each haveone portion which is connected to the shaft 206 for rotation with theshaft 206, this being the portion which is connected to the hydrauliccylinders 66 and the couplings 226 and 228 each have another portionwhich is not connected to the shaft 206 and does not rotate with theshaft 206, this being the portion which is connected to the air supply224.

The system 10c includes a film supply 232 which is adapted to feed filmto be formed into the decorative flower pot covers 14 during theoperation of the system 10c. More particularly, the film supply 232includes a roll of film 234 having a supply of film rolled thereabout.The roll of film 234 is rotatingly supported generally near the lowertable 200. The film on the roll of film 234 is passed through a pair ofrollers 236 and 238 and at least one of the rollers 236 and 238 isdrivingly connected to a motor or other such drive means (not shown),which is adapted to drivingly rotate the roller 236 or 238 connectedthereto for drivingly moving the sheet of film between the roller 236and 238 thereby unrolling a portion of the film from the roll of film234 and passing a portion of the film from the rollers 236 and 238 in adirection 240. The rollers 236 and 238 are positioned to drivingly passa portion of the sheet of film in the direction 240 generally onto aportion of the upper surface 202 of the lower table 200 during theoperation of the system 10c.

The system 10c includes a cutting assembly 242 which includes a knife244 having a portion thereof connected to the rod of a hydrauliccylinder 246. The knife 244 and the hydraulic cylinder 246 each aresupported at a predetermined position above the upper surface 202 of thelower table 200 with the knife 244 being positioned to cut the filmsupplied by the film supply 232 at a predetermined position to dispose asheet of material 12 on the upper surface 202 of the lower table 200,the sheet of material 12 cut by the cutting assembly 242 moreparticularly being disposed and supported on one of the support surfaces122a during the operation of the system 10c.

The system 10c also includes a cover unloading assembly 248 which isadapted to remove the formed decorative covers 14 from the system 10c.The cover unloading assembly 248 includes a motor-gear unloading drive250 which is operatively connected to a pair of spaced-apart unloadingarms 252 and 254, the unloading arms 252 and 254 each extending in aparallel relationship and being spaced a predetermined distance apart.The cover unloading assembly 248 is positioned near and generallybetween the lower and the upper tables 200 and 212 so that the unloadingdrive 250 moves the unloading arms 252 and 254 in a direction 256generally to an unloading position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6) andso that the unloading drive 250 moves the unloading arms 252 and 254 ina direction 258 to a loading position during the operation of the coverforming system 10c. The arms 252 and 254 are connected by way of a hinge255 to the linkage connecting the arms 252 and 254 to the drive 250, andthe hinge 255 is constructed to support the arms 252 and 254 in theposition shown in FIG. 6 in the locked position of the hinge 255 and topivotally drop the arms 252 and 254 in the unlocked position tofacilitate the removal of the formed cover.

Since the tables 200 and 212 rotate, the positions of the variouselements connected to the tables 200 and 212 shift during the operationof the system 10c. During the operation of the system 10c, the tables200 and 212 repeatable are movable to four positions and for the purposeof describing the operation of the system 10c, the four positions aredesignated in FIG. 6 by the letters "A", "B", "C" and "D", and sometimesreferred to herein as "stations". In general, at station "A", the sheetof material 12 is placed on the support surface 122a and, at station"B", the male die 44 moves into the forming position within the openingin the female die 94 forming the female die surface 100 and, at station"C", the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 is removed from thesystem 10c and, at station "D", the male die 44 is conditioned to againinitiate the forming process.

Initially, the tables 200 and 212 are positioned in fixed relativepositions so that one of the female dies 94 along with the supportsurface 122a associated therewith is operatively positioned with respectto one of the male dies 44, and the tables 200 and 212 are positioned sothat one of the female dies 94 and the associated male die 44 ispositioned at each of the stations "A", "B", "C" and "D". At station"A", one of the support surfaces 122a is positioned near the film supply232 for receiving a sheet of material 12 to be formed into thedecorative flower pot cover 14.

At station "A", one of the rollers 236 and 238 is drivingly rotated forpassing the film of material therebetween and the film of material isdrivingly moved in the direction 240 until a predetermined length offilm constituting the sheet of material 12 has been disposed or pssedonto the support surface 122a. After the predetermined length of filmconstituting the sheet of material 12 has been passed onto the supportsurface 122a, the hydraulic cylinder 246 is connected to the air supplyfor moving the knife 244 in a downward direction toward the uppersurface 202 of the lower table 200 and the knife 244 is moved in thisdirection by the hydraulic cylinder 246 to a position wherein the knife244 cuttingly engages the portion of the film disposed thereunder tosever a portion of the film from the roll of film 234 thereby leaving agenerally square-shaped sheet of material 12 operatively disposed on thesupport surface 122a above one of the female dies 94 at station "A".

After the sheet of material 12 has been cut from the roll of film 234,the hydraulic cylinder 246 is connected to the air supply for moving theknife 244 from the cutting position to the storage position. After theknife 244 has been moved to the storage position, the table driveassembly 217 is activated to move the lower and the upper tables 200 and212 to a position wherein the male and female dies 44 and 94 at station"A" are moved in the direction 220 to station "B" and thus the sheet ofmaterial 12 which was positioned on the support surface 122a at station"A" is moved to station "B", the other male and female dies 44 and 94also being moved or advanced in the direction 220. At station "B", themale die 44 is moved into the forming position with the sheet ofmaterial 12 by actuating the appropriate hydraulic cylinder 66 with themale die surface 50 being matingly disposed generally within the femaledie surface 100 with portions of the sheet of material 12 being disposedtherebetween in a manner like that described before with respect to thesystem 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thereby forming the decorative flowerpot cover 14. While the decorative cover 14 is formed at station "B",another sheet of material 12 is cut from the roll of film 234 andoperatively disposed on the support surface 122a associated with thefemale die 94 located at station "A".

After the decorative flower pot cover 14 has been formed at station "B",the tables 200 and 212 are rotatingly moved by the table drive assembly217 to position the male and female dies 44 and 94 which previously werelocated at station "B" at station "C" thereby positioning the formedflower pot cover at station "C". At station "C", the male die 44 ismoved in the upward direction to the storage position with the vacuumapplied via the vacuum source 221 holding the formed decorative flowerpot cover 14 on the male die 44 in the manner like that described beforewith respect to the system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At station "C" andafter the male die 44 is moved to the storage position, the unloadingdrive 250 is activated to move the unloading arms 252 and 254 in thedirection 258 to the unloading position and, when the unloading arms 252and 254 have been moved to the unloading position, the vacuum applied bythe vacuum source 221 is disconnected from the male die 44 at station"C" thereby releasing the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 from themale die 44. When the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 is releasedfrom the male die 44 at station "C", the released cover 14 is disposedwith or between the arms 252 and 254 with the decorative border 34operating to prevent movement of the cover 14 through the space betweenthe arms 252 and 254 so the arms 252 and 254 cooperate to hold theformed decorative flower pot cover 14. In this position of the formedcover 14, the unloading drive 250 is actuated to move the arms 252 and254 in the direction 256 to the unloading position wherein the formedcover 14 can be removed from the arms 252 and 254 for disposing theformed cover 14 in shipping boxes for disposing the formed cover 14 forfurther processing. In the unloading position, the arms 252 and 254 canbe pivotally dropped by unlocking the hinge 255.

After the formed cover 14 is removed from the male die. 44 at station"C", the tables 200 and 212 again are rotated in the direction 220 toposition the male and female dies 44 and 94 which were at station "C" atstation "D". At station "D" the vacuum is reapplied to the male die 44located at station "D" and the male and female dies 44 and 94 located atstation "D" are conditioned to again form another decorative flower potcover 14.

The system 10c is constructed to sequentially move the male dies 44 andassociated female dies 94 to the stations "A", "B", "C" and "D". Theprocesses just described which occur at each of the respective stations"A", "B", "C" and "D" continuously occur so the system 10c provides amore automated process for forming the decorative flower pot covers 14.

Embodiment of FIGS. 7A and 7B

Shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B is a modified system 10b which is constructedand operates exactly like the system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 anddescribed in detail before, except the system 10b includes a modifiedsupport assembly 72b. The support assembly 72b includes a post 150having one end supported on the floor 74 and extending a distanceupwardly therefrom terminating with an upper end portion. One end of abeam 154 is pivotally connected to the upper end portion of the post150. The male die 44 is supported on the end portions of the beam 154,generally opposite the end which is pivotally connected to the post 150.

A rod is reciprocatingly disposed in a hydraulic cylinder 156 and therod is connected to the beam 154. The hydraulic cylinder 156 isconnected to the air supply 86 (shown in FIG. 1) and a control valve(not shown) is interposed between the air supply 86 and the hydrauliccylinder 156 for controlling the operation of the hydraulic cylinder156. In one position, the air supply 86 is connected to the upper end ofthe hydraulic cylinder 156 for pivotally moving the beam 154 in thedirection 160 and, in one other position, the hydraulic cylinder 156 isconnected to the control valve 158 for pivotally moving the beam 154 inthe direction 162.

The modified system 10b will operate to form the decorative flower potcover 14 in a manner exactly like that described before with respect tothe system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except the air supply 86 initiallyis connected to the hydraulic cylinder 156 for moving the beam in thedirection 162 to the forming position wherein the male die surface 50 issupported a distance above and generally over the female die surface100. In this position of the beam 154, the system 10b is operatedexactly like the system 10a to form the decorative flower pot cover.

After the decorative flower pot cover 14 has been formed and the maledie 44 moved to the storage position with the vacuum still appliedthrough the openings 76 and the male die 44 operating to hold the closedlower end 30 of the decorative cover 14 generally against the lower end48 of the male die 44, the hydraulic cylinder 156 is connected to theair supply 86 for moving the beam 154 in the direction 160 to the coverdisposing position. When the beam 154 has been moved to the coverdisposing position, then the control valve 88 is positioned to connectthe openings 76 to the blower 82 for releasing the engagement betweenthe formed decorative flower pot cover 14 and the male die 44 forremoving the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 from the male die 44.The movement of the beam 154 to the cover disposing position permits theformed decorative flower pot cover 14 to be moved to a differentposition with respect to the forming position which may be moreconvenient in some applications for releasing the formed decorativeflower pot cover 14 more directly into subsequent process steps such asboxing for shipment, for example.

The following are examples of techniques for making decorative covers 14in accordance with the present invention.

In one example, a sheet 0.83 gauge polypropylene is acrylic coated onboth surfaces, one surface coating being tinted with color and theopposite surface being opaque in some instances and being clear in someother instances (particularly preferable when the other surface is clearor tinted yellow, for example). A clear polypropylene sheet isinterleaved with the tinted or colored sheet of material, this sheetbeing acrylic coated on both surfaces. The two sheets then are bondedtogether to form the sheet of material 12. The coloring inks may beacrylic, heat sealable as described above or may be modifiednitrocellulose heat sealable.

In another example, a 1.32 gauge polypropylene sheet is acrylic coatedon both surfaces, one surface coating being tinted with color and theopposite surface coating being opaque colored in some instances and leftclear in some other instances (particularly preferable when the oppositesurface is tinted white or yellow). This sheet then is laminated andadhered to a second sheet of Saran coated polypropylene or uncoatedpolypropylene material using the acrylic heat sealing inks or themodified nitrocellulose inks as the adhesive mentioned before.

In another example, a sheet of Saran coated polypropylene or uncoatedpolypropylene material is tinted on one surface with a color and on theopposite surface of the same sheet opaque colored in some instances orclear in some other instances (particularly preferable when tinted whiteor yellow). A second sheet of clear polyproplyene acrylic coatedmaterial is adhered to the first sheet. Various inks (coloring) areadded to the acrylic adhesive or the modified nitrocellulose adhesive,both heat sealable. In another example, a Saran coated polypropylene oruncoated polypropylene is tinted on one surface with a chosen colorusing a pressure sensitive rubber based adhesive colored as the opaquesurface. This first sheet then is adhered to a second clear sheet ofSaran coated or uncoated polypropylene.

In another example, a first sheet of uncoated polypropylene is tintedwith a color on one surface with the opposite surface being opaquecoloring or, in some instances, left clear, particularly when theopposite surface is tinted or colored white or yellow. A second Sarancoated polypropylene sheet is adhered to this first sheet. Inks areadded to the acrylic or modified nitrocellulose adhesive for coloring,both adhesives being heat sealable.

In another example, a first sheet of polypropylene film is adhesivelyconnected to a paper laminate with the appropriate coloring and metalfinishes to provide a sheet of material 12 having an overall appearancesimilar to aluminum foil, for example, and which has dead-foldcharacteristics or properties.

In another example, a foil sheet is adhesively connected to an uncoatedpolypropylene sheet with an interleaved third polypropylene sheet whichis adhesively coated (heat sealing adhesive) on both surfaces. In someinstances the foil is prepainted and, in some instances the three layersheet of material 12 is embossed with a predetermined pattern.

In another example, a single foil sheet may be utilized to form thearticle with an adhesive applied to one or both surfaces thereof and, insome applications, the adhesive coating may be eliminated since the foilhas dead fold characteristics or, in other words, since the foil isshape sustaining.

In another example, the sheet of material is formed with a firstpolypropylene sheet layered on a second polypropylene sheet, the firstsheet may be adhesively coated on one or both surfaces and the secondsheet may be adhesively coated on one or both surfaces. For example, thefirst sheet may be adhesively coated on both surfaces and the secondsheet may be adhesively coated on one surface, opposite the surfacedisposed adjacent the first sheet so the sheet of material 12 comprisesthe first and second sheets with an adhesive coating on the oppositesurfaces of the sheet of material 12. In this last mentioned example,the second sheet may not be coated so only the coating on the onesurface of the first sheet is exposed in the finished sheet of material12 or the coatings may be reversed with respect to the first and thesecond sheets so only the adhesive coating on the second-sheet isexposed on the finished sheet of material. In this example, the firstand second sheets may be adhesively connected to form the sheet ofmaterial 12 prior to forming the decorative cover 14 or the first andsecond sheets may be layered and adhesively connected during the formingof the decorative cover 14.

The polypropylene sheet or film is relatively thin having a thickness ina range from about 1.0 mils to about 1.5 mills and, thus, a sheet ofmaterial 12 formed by layering and adhesively connecting a first and asecond sheet of polypropylene sheets or films has a total thickness in arange from about 2.0 mils to about 3.0 mills. The thickness of a sheetof polypropylene film varies and, in addition, the thickness will varydepending on the thickness of the adhesive coating applied to the sheetsto be utilized in making the sheet of material 12.

In addition to being relatively thin, the polypropylene sheet does nothave any substantial dead fold characteristics or, in other words, shapesustaining characteristics. Thus, when this type of material is formedinto any particular shape, such as the decorative cover 14, the formedsheet of material tends to return to the unformed state when constraintsare removed. In addition, the strength of the polypropylene sheet is notsufficient to sustain the formed shape which combines with the lack ofdead fold characteristics to render it extremely difficult to utilizethis material in making preformed articles or covers.

In another example, a first sheet of polypropylene film has atransparent color printed on one surface thereof and a metallic ink isapplied to one surface of a second sheet of polypropylene film. Thecolor and the metallic ink may be incorporated with the adhesive coatingif the adhesive coating is to be applied to that surface of the sheet.The first sheet with the transparent color forms the outer or lowersurface 43 of the cover 14 and the second sheet with the metallic inkforms the inner or upper surface 41 of the cover 14, the combination ofthe transparent color along with the metallic ink or finish provides afinished, preformed article formed of a sheet of material 12 comprisingtwo polypropylene films, but also having an overall metallic appearance.In lieu of metallic inks, the metallic finish can be applied to the filmby metalizing one surface of the film or by adhesively connecting a filmto a foil, for example.

The present invention provides a means for forming an article, a sheetof material 12 formed using one sheet of polypropylene material or twoor three layered and adhesively connected sheets of polypropylenematerial. The overlapping folds 42 which extend various distances and atvarious angles over or about the formed article provide the strengthrequired for the formed sheet of material 12 to sustain the formedshape. The overlapping folds 42 formed in this manner provide a uniformresistance and a uniform flexibility and give the formed portion of thesheet of material 12 the greatest overall strength per unit mass, therandom forming of the overlapping folds 42 providing a closeapproximation to a uniform thickening-like action thereby allottingthin, non-shape sustaining sheets or films to be utilized in formingarticles while resulting in a substantial shape sustaining, relativelythin, article. The particular films mentioned before were constructed ofa polypropylene film. However, such films also could be polyvinylchloride films which have the advantage of being inherently heatsealable with respect to like materials.

The sealing of one film to another or the sealing of the overlappingfolds 42 also can be accomplished utilizing a heat sealable lacquer, apressure sensitive adhesive which may or may not also require heat, aheat sealable adhesive described before, a hot melt adhesive, wax,solvent, a light activated adhesive or other means of chemicallyconnecting two sheets. The adhesive material can be applied to thesheets by gravure, flexographic, letter press, spray or other means forapplying adhesive to films.

The films utilized to form the sheet of material 12, described before,are substantially waterproof so the preformed article also iswaterproof. Also, these films have the ability of being flame retarded.

When decorative flower pot covers 14 are formed in accordance with thepresent invention, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the preformed covers 14may be flattened for shipping and storage purposes and the covers 14then may be unflattened for display or sale or both. The decorativeflower pot covers 14 formed in accordance with the present inventioneasily are unflattened to assume the original preformed shape withoutany substantial loss of the preformed shape, thereby providing aflexible, yet shape sustaining article. The flattened covers 14 occupyabout one-third of the space as compared with stacked covers 14 whichreduces shipping costs and storage space.

After the decorative flower pot cover 14 (shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B) isformed, the decorative border 34 is formed by trimming the edges to thedesired shape, the decorative flower pot cover 14 shown in FIGS. 3A and3B being trimmed to a square shape. The particular shape depends on theeffect desired and the shape may be round, scalloped or heart shaped,for example. Also, the border 34 may be trimmed in a round shape bycutting the border 34 in the round shape generally near the upper end 28of the base 26 and, in this embodiment, the cover 14 may be used as aflower pot cover or a hat, such as a St. Patrick's Day hat, for example,with appropriate decorative effects added. The trimming of the borderpreferably is accomplished utilizing a wire formed in the desired shapewhich is connected to an electrical supply for heating the wire. Theformed cover 14 then can be passed through the opening formed by thewire with the heated wire contacting the border 34 and effecting thedesired cut or, in the alternative, the heated wire can be passed overthe cover 14 to contact the border 34 at the appropriate position toeffect the desired cut.

Changes may be made in the various elements, components, parts andassemblies described herein or in the steps or sequence of steps in themethods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A planter tray for growing plants made by formingat least one sheet of material into a predetermined shape for receivingan object, wherein the planter tray comprises a base having a closedlower end and an open upper end with an object opening extendingtherethrough, wherein the sheet of material is a polymer film whichnormally is flexible and substantially non-shape-sustaining, wherein theformed planter tray is flexible and may be substantially flattened andunflattened to assume the original shape of the formed planter traywithout substantial loss of the preformed shape thereby providing theflexible yet shape-sustaining nature of the formed planter tray, whereinthe forming of the sheet of material is accomplished by substantiallypermanently fixing a portion of the sheet of material into a pluralityof folds to form the base of the planter tray and for cooperating toretain the planter tray in the formed shape.
 2. The planter tray ofclaim 1 wherein a substantial portion of the folds extend over differentdistances and at various and arbitrary angles.
 3. The planter tray ofclaim 1 wherein the planter tray further comprises a decorative borderextending outward from the open upper end of the base.
 4. The plantertray of claim 3 wherein the decorative border is substantially free offolds.
 5. The planter tray of claim 1 wherein the planter tray furthercomprises a sheet of material having a thickness of less than about 3.0mils.
 6. The planter tray of claim 1 wherein the planter tray furthercomprises a sheet of material having a thickness of less than about 1.5mils.
 7. The planter tray of claim 1 wherein the planter tray furthercomprises a bonding means disposed upon at least a portion thereof.
 8. Aplanter tray made by forming at least one sheet of material into apredetermined shape for receiving an object, wherein the planter traycomprisesa base having a closed lower end and an open upper end with anobject opening extending therethrough, wherein the sheet of materialforming the planter tray is flexible, wherein the formed planter tray isflexible and the planter tray is capable of being substantiallyflattened and unflattened to assume the original shape of the formedplanter tray without substantial loss of the preformed shape, therebyproviding the flexible yet shape sustaining nature of the formed plantertray, wherein the forming of the planter tray is accomplished by forminga portion of the sheet of material into a plurality of folds to form thebase of the planter tray, said folds cooperating to retain the plantertray in the formed shape.
 9. The planter tray of claim 8 wherein asubstantial portion of the folds extend over different distances and atvarious and arbitrary angles.
 10. The planter tray of claim 8 whereinthe planter tray further comprises a decorative border extending outwardfrom the open upper end of the base.
 11. The planter tray of claim 10wherein the decorative border is substantially free of folds.
 12. Theplanter tray of claim 8 wherein the planter tray further comprises asheet of material having a thickness of less than about 3.0 mils. 13.The planter tray of claim 8 wherein the planter tray further comprises asheet of material having a thickness of less than about 1.5 mils. 14.The planter tray of claim 8 wherein the planter tray further comprises abonding means disposed upon at least a portion thereof.
 15. The plantertray of claim 8 wherein the planter tray is formed from a sheet ofmaterial selected from the group consisting of polymer film, foil, andcombinations thereof.
 16. The planter tray of claim 8 wherein the sheetor material used to form the planter tray is a relatively thin polymerfilm which is flexible and substantially non-shape sustaining.
 17. Anarticle, comprising:a planter tray made by forming at least one sheet ofmaterial into a predetermined shape for receiving an object, wherein theplanter tray comprisesa base having a closed lower end and an open upperend with an object opening extending therethrough, wherein folds areformed in the sheet of material whereby the formed planter tray isflexible and may be substantially flattened and then unflattened toassume the original shape of the formed planter tray without substantialloss of the preformed shape thereby providing the flexible yetshape-sustaining nature of the formed planter tray, wherein the formingof the planter tray is accomplished by forming a portion of the sheet ofmaterial into a plurality of folds to form the base of the planter tray,said folds cooperating to retain the planter tray in both the flexibleand formed shape, wherein the base is able to stand upright on theclosed lower end thereof.
 18. The planter tray of claim 17 wherein asubstantial portion of the folds extend over different distances and atvarious and arbitrary angles.
 19. The planter tray of claim 17 whereinthe planter tray further comprises a decorative border extending outwardfrom the open upper end of the base.
 20. The planter tray of claim 19wherein the decorative border is substantially free of folds.
 21. Theplanter tray of claim 17 wherein the planter tray further comprises asheet of material having a thickness of less than about 3.0 mils. 22.The planter tray of claim 17 wherein the planter tray further comprisesa sheet of material having a thickness of less than about 1.5 mils. 23.The planter tray of claim 17 wherein the planter tray further comprisesa bonding means disposed upon at least a portion thereof.
 24. Theplanter tray of claim 17 wherein the planter tray is formed from a sheetof material selected from the group consisting of polymer film, foil,and combinations thereof.
 25. The planter tray of claim 17 wherein thesheet or material used to form the planter tray is a relatively thinpolymer film which is flexible and substantially non-shape sustaining.26. An article, comprising:a planter tray made by forming at least onesheet of material into a predetermined shape for receiving an object,wherein the planter tray comprisesa base having a closed lower end andan open upper end with an object opening extending therethrough, whereinfolds are formed in the sheet of material, a substantial portion of thefolds extending over different distances and at various and arbitraryangles, whereby the formed planter tray is flexible and may besubstantially flattened and then unflattened to assume the originalshape of the formed planter tray without substantial loss of thepreformed shape thereby providing the flexible yet shape-sustainingnature of the formed planter tray, wherein the forming of the plantertray is accomplished by forming a portion of the sheet of material intoa plurality of folds to form the base of the planter tray, said foldscooperating to retain the planter tray in both the flexible and formedshape, wherein the base is able to stand upright on the closed lower endthereof.
 27. The planter tray of claim 26 wherein the planter trayfurther comprises a decorative border extending outward from the openupper end of the base.
 28. The planter tray of claim 27 wherein thedecorative border is substantially free of folds.
 29. The planter trayof claim 26 wherein the planter tray further comprises a sheet ofmaterial having a thickness of less than about 3.0 mils.
 30. The plantertray of claim 26 wherein the planter tray further comprises a sheet ofmaterial having a thickness of less than about 1.5 mils.
 31. The plantertray of claim 26 wherein the planter tray further comprises a bondingmeans disposed upon at least a portion thereof.
 32. The planter tray ofclaim 26 wherein the planter tray is formed from a sheet of materialselected from the group consisting of polymer film, foil, andcombinations thereof.
 33. The planter tray of claim 26 wherein the sheetor material used to form the planter tray is a relatively thin polymerfilm which is flexible and substantially non-shape sustaining.
 34. Anarticle, comprising:a planter tray made by forming at least one sheet ofmaterial into a predetermined shape for receiving an object, wherein theplanter tray comprisesa base having a closed lower end and an open upperend with an object opening extending therethrough, a bonding meansdisposed on at least a portion of the planter tray, wherein folds areformed in the sheet of material whereby the formed planter tray isflexible and may be substantially flattened and then unflattened toassume the original shape of the formed planter tray without substantialloss of the preformed shape thereby providing the flexible yetshape-sustaining nature of the formed planter tray, wherein the formingof the planter tray is accomplished by forming a portion of the sheet ofmaterial into a plurality of folds to form the base of the planter tray,said folds cooperating to retain the planter tray in both the flexibleand formed shape, wherein the base is able to stand upright on theclosed lower end thereof.
 35. The planter tray of claim 34 wherein asubstantial portion of the folds extend over different distances and atvarious and arbitrary angles.
 36. The planter tray of claim 34 whereinthe planter tray further comprises a decorative border extending outwardfrom the open upper end of the base.
 37. The planter tray of claim 36wherein the decorative border is substantially free of folds.
 38. Theplanter tray of claim 34 wherein the planter tray further comprises asheet of material having a thickness of less than about 3.0 mils. 39.The planter tray of claim 34 wherein the planter tray further comprisesa sheet of material having a thickness of less than about 1.5 mils. 40.The planter tray of claim 34 wherein the bonding means comprises anadhesive.
 41. The planter tray of claim 34 wherein the planter tray isformed from a sheet of material selected from the group consisting ofpolymer film, foil, and combinations thereof.
 42. The planter tray ofclaim 34 wherein the sheet or material used to form the planter tray isa relatively thin polymer film which is flexible and substantiallynon-shape sustaining.
 43. The planter tray of claim 34 wherein thebonding means comprises a lacquer.
 44. An article, comprising:a plantertray made by forming at least one sheet of material into a predeterminedshape for receiving an object, wherein the planter tray comprisesa basehaving a closed lower end and an open upper end with an object openingextending therethrough, the base comprising a decorative borderextending outward from the open upper end of the base, wherein folds areformed in the sheet of material whereby the formed planter tray isflexible and may be substantially flattened and then unflattened toassume the original shape of the formed planter tray without substantialloss of the preformed shape thereby providing the flexible yetshape-sustaining nature of the formed planter tray, wherein the formingof the planter tray is accomplished by forming a portion of the sheet ofmaterial into a plurality of folds to form the base of the planter tray,said folds cooperating to retain the planter tray in both the flexibleand formed shape, wherein the base is able to stand upright on theclosed lower end thereof.
 45. The planter tray of claim 44 wherein asubstantial portion of the folds extend over different distances and atvarious and arbitrary angles.
 46. The planter tray of claim 44 whereinthe decorative border is substantially free of folds.
 47. The plantertray of claim 44 wherein the planter tray further comprises a sheet ofmaterial having a thickness of less than about 3.0 mils.
 48. The plantertray of claim 44 wherein the planter tray further comprises a sheet ofmaterial having a thickness of less than about 1.5 mils.
 49. The plantertray of claim 44 wherein the planter tray further comprises a bondingmeans disposed upon at least a portion thereof.
 50. The planter tray ofclaim 44 wherein the planter tray is formed from a sheet of materialselected from the group consisting of polymer film, foil, andcombinations thereof.
 51. The planter tray of claim 44 wherein the sheetor material used to form the planter tray is a relatively thin polymerfilm which is flexible and substantially non-shape sustaining.